


Say, What's In This Drink?

by from_scarlet_to_pink



Series: Kingsman Advent Calendar '17 [11]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Civilian Eggsy Unwin, Civilian Roxy Morton, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 16:17:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12987768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/from_scarlet_to_pink/pseuds/from_scarlet_to_pink
Summary: “He’ll be here, don’t you worry.”Roxy tried not to blush. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”Roxy has a new regular customer at the coffee shop she works at.





	Say, What's In This Drink?

**Author's Note:**

> working from [this](http://from-scarlet-to-pink.tumblr.com/post/168094448114/verobird-christmas-prompts-some-i-made-up) list of prompts for an advent-calendar
> 
> DEC 11: I’m a barista and you keep making weird faces when you drink the “Christmas cheer in a cup” coffee I make, why do you keep ordering it?

Roxy had been working at _Coffee Cup_ for three months now, taking shifts between classes. Life in London was getting more and more expensive, and she didn’t want to rely on her parent’s financial aid more than she absolutely had to.

Eggsy had worked there for two years, and suggested she come to work with him, after he learned of her plans to look for a part-time job. It was nice to already have a friend among the staff on your first day on the job, and since Eggsy had declined to move in with her, to stay with his freshly divorced mum, and baby sister, it was a good opportunity for them to catch up as well. Well, at least she had thought so. She had also quickly realised just how stressful manning the counter at the local coffee shop really was.

It was ten minutes before closing time and Roxy kept glancing towards the door.

“He’ll be here, don’t you worry.” Eggsy appeared next to her, wiping down the service counter. The evening rush had come and gone, most people choosing to take their coffees to go, so it was fairly quiet in the shop, except for the Christmas music playing softly in the background, and the chatter coming from some of the tables.

Roxy tried not to blush. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

Eggsy grinned at her. “Sure you don’t. Oh, speaking of which…” He nodded towards the front door.

Roxy whipped her head around to see… absolutely no one. She heard Eggsy giggle, turned around, and whipped a dishtowel in his direction.

“Hey! Don’t be mad at me for making you realise you’re full of crap.” He snatched the towel out of her hand and went back to his station behind the baked goods display.

After issuing some carefully worded threats, Roxy decided to ignore her best friend, and go back to rearranging the to-go cups, already setting up for the morning shift. She didn’t really want to admit to how nervous she was, and how disappointed at the idea that the person she was waiting for wouldn’t show up today.

\------

In the last two weeks, _Coffee Cup_ had gained a new regular costumer. ‘Merlin’, as he called himself, was tall, had a shaved head (which suited him rather nicely), and a lovely Scottish accent.

He had shown up that first night with dark circles under his eyes, and a frenzied look, walking up to the counter, asking for ‘anything large with caffeine and lots of sugar, I need the energy boost, thanks’. Roxy had offered their winter holiday special _Cheer In A Cup_ , which was… an acquired taste, but fit the parameters nicely.

She had set it on the counter, and watched as the tall man grabbed the cup, took off the lid and downed the whole thing in one go. Roxy had stood there, her mouth hanging open for a moment, before she composed herself, and quickly went to the tab, filling a cup with cold water and set it down in front of Merlin. The man had obviously been beyond caring about the temperature of the drink, standing in front of the counter, reaching into his coat, taking out his wallet, handing a ten pound note to Roxy. With a ‘thanks, lass’ and a smile, he was gone out the door.

Roxy had filed that encounter under the ‘more memorable things to happen at _Coffee Cup’_ and went on with her service, until she saw the man come into the shop the next evening.

“Good evening, I, uh, I was here yesterday, and had the…” He looked at the overhead boards to see what the drink was that he had ordered, but before he found it, Roxy interrupted him.

“ _Cheer In A Cup_ , yes, I remember.” She smiled at him. This man today was completely unlike the one she had met the day before. Gone was the mania in his eyes, the circles under his eyes had lessened, and what remained, was an attractive man, who almost seemed a bit shy.

“Aye, that. If I could have a large one, please.”

After he paid and accepted his drink, he went outside, but instead of turning down the street, he stood for a moment in front of the shop. Through the window, Roxy saw him put the cup to his lips - with the lid, this time - and have a taste of the coffee creation. The face that he pulled in reaction to the drink made Roxy laugh quietly to herself. Apparently he hadn’t noticed the strong taste when he chugged the whole thing the previous day. She watched him cross the street, deposit the cup into a garbage can and walk until she couldn’t spot him through the window any longer.

When Merlin came in the next day, he surprised Roxy by ordering the same drink, again.

“Are you sure?” She looked at him dubiously.

“Aye, a large one, if you please, Roxanne.” He regarded her name tag and paid for his drink.

“‘Roxy’ is fine, Merlin.” She smiled at him and went to make his drink. They chatted until the coffee was ready, which, considering the various special ingredients, took a bit of time, but neither seemed to mind. By the time Merlin left, Roxy was a bit sad to see him walk out the door. What made the situation better, was seeing the man take another sip of his drink and make a similar face to the one he had pulled yesterday.

Merlin showed up shortly before the shop closed on every day that week, always ordering the winter special. He and Roxy kept chatting about this and that, getting to know each other a bit in the time it took to make the coffee. If there wasn’t anybody waiting in line behind Merlin, the preparation might even take a little longer.

Every evening, Merlin would order the same drink, go outside, take a sip, make a face, and throw away the rest of the coffee, or give it to a nearby homeless person. Roxy had to admit (although not out loud) that she was developing a bit of a crush on the older man. And if she changed her schedule to keep the late shift at the shop, no one would question her motives. No one but Eggsy, that is.

Eggsy had taken the previous week off work, to help his mother move into their new place. Now that he was back on the work roster, he immediately noticed Roxy’s new schedule, as it no longer coincided with his own.

“Uhm, Rox? Why are you only working the last call, all of a sudden? Thought you preferred to get it out of the way and then go to class?”

“Oh, it’s temporary, I have a blocked class, an Intensive Course, in the mornings, so I changed shifts with Angie for the next week.” She answered him, smiled, and went to grab her apron.

That night, after Merlin left the café, Eggsy turned to his best friend, and said, “Well, you’re not wrong. He got class, alright. And he’s intense.”

Roxy turned bright red, and stared at Eggsy, who was turned away, grinning to himself.

Eggsy had managed to swap some shifts, so he would join Roxy during the last one of the day, and while she loved his company, she knew he mostly did it to watch her and Merlin interact. He would regularly tease her about just putting her number on the cup, if she was too afraid to ask him for his. Roxy always batted him away, when he suggested it, but had to admit that it had already crossed her mind. According to Eggsy, Merlin seemed absolutely besotted. ‘Why else would he keep ordering that gross stuff? Also someone should probably tell him that we can actually see him through the window decorations.’

\------

“Hey Rox, do we still have some of the almond milk in the fridge? The one I’ve got here is almost empty.” He shook the carton for emphasis.

Roxy crouched down, and opened the small fridge under the counter. “Uhm… no. I’ll get some more from the back.” She left through the small door behind the counter and went to the back room, where they had a larger refrigerator.

When she came back to the main room, she saw Eggsy hand some change to their newest customer. Which was Merlin.

“There you are, Rox! Merlin here just paid for his usual, do you want me to make it?” He gave her an angelic smile. Prat.

“It’s ok, Eggsy, thanks, I can take over. Hi, Merlin!” She took the cup, on which Eggsy had written the order - although they both knew it anyway - and started on making the coffee.

\------

Roxy had just gotten home and, after changing into a soft sweatshirt and a pair of yoga pants, sat on her sofa, going over some notes for her class, when her phone rang.

She didn’t recognise the number, but at least there was one. She tended not to answer calls that came with ‘No ID’. “This is Roxanne Morton.”

“Hi, Roxy? This is Merlin.” She had already recognised the voice. “I’m sorry, am I calling too late?” Roxy didn’t answer him, shocked at the turn the evening had taken. “Roxy? Are you there, lass?”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry, I… I didn’t expect you to… how did you get my number?” It was not as graceful as she might have liked, but this was wholly unexpected.

“Uhm, it was on the coffee I got today, on the side of the cup. I thought you might be asking me to call you.” He sounded unsure, but also a bit hopeful?

Roxy was confused for a moment, until… Eggsy. She was going to kill him. Or bake him his favourite cake. She wasn’t sure yet. “Eggsy must have put it on the cup along with your order, he…”

Merlin sounded completely flustered and a touch embarrassed. “I am so sorry, Roxanne. He really shouldn’t have given out your number. I’m sorry, then, if I have disturbed you. Good night.”

“Wait!” She hadn’t expected the call, but now that they had gotten to this point, she was hesitant to let the opportunity pass. “No, he shouldn’t give out my number to strangers. But then, you’re not a stranger. And…” She took a deep breath, to collect her nerves, and gather her courage. “I’m glad he did.”

“You are?” She could practically hear the smile in his voice.

“Yes. I thought about putting my number on the cup before, he just helped things move along, I guess.” She smiled as a thought occurred to her. “It also means that you can stop ordering coffee that you obviously hate.”

“I don’t…” before he could come up with a credible counter argument, Roxy continued.

“Merlin, the window decorations of the shop aren’t opaque. Think of them like a one-way mirror.”

There was quiet on the other side of the phone, Merlin obviously progressing what Roxy had just told him.

“I… fine. That stuff tastes like all the holiday clichés put through a blender.”

“Then why did you keep ordering it?” She started laughing, and got up from the sofa. “I wouldn’t have thought any less of you for ordering regular coffee. Or tea.” Roxy went to the kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of wine. If she had her way, this was going to be a longer conversation.

“Partially for the sugar. One sip alone can keep you going for another couple of hours, if needed. And also because you recommended it to me that first evening.”

Roxy blushed at the comment. She would blame it on the wine, if anyone were to ask.

Now that the first hurdle was managed, they picked up their conversation from the café, talking about Roxy’s classes, and the work Merlin did at a tailor shop on Savile Row, and kept talking and talking, even long after the bottle of wine was emptied.

**Author's Note:**

> I thought it would be better to continue with the date-appropriate prompts, and make up the ones I missed due to my holiday some other time, instead of delaying the whole schedule. 
> 
> I hope you like it! It's my first go at a Coffee Shop AU.
> 
> Also, has the fandom as such settled on a name for the ship? I think Roxlin is the front runner, but I have to say, I am fond of Merlot as well.


End file.
